Valve mechanism



Feb. 15, 1927.

H. S. FARQUHAR VALVE MEcHANIsM' v Filed March 31. 1921 7 sheets-she't' 1 INVENTOR- ezzryargullm; BY

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Feb. 15, 1927.

vH. s. FARQUHAR VALVE MECNis'a l' Filed March 31, 1921 '7 Sheetsgh' mm. wm w m s. mw m .R ww. m mm1@ F s. Wy .m

Parenteel i Fee. 15, i927.

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VALVE MECHANISM.

Application filed March 31, 1921. Serial No. 457,427.

My inventionrelates to valve mechanism for fluid pressure engines of the reciprocating or oscillating piston type.

The object of my invention is to make it possible to vary the position of the slide valve, so that cut-off of the fluid pressure may be caused to take place at any desired point within the limits ofthe opening of the port or ports which the valve controls, and without necessitating any change whatever in the structure of the valve. This desideratum I attain by relegating to the valve, capacity for limited motion independent of a definite normal throw which may be defL rived in any convenient manner, for example7 by coordination with the engine crank shaft or piston, and providing means whereby such independent motion of the valve may be governed or regulated to vary itscut-off position in accordance with the engine speed or power desired.

My invention lends itself readily 'to embodiment in Various forms, and these, together with advantages procurable through the same, will be readily understood from the detailed description which follows.

In the drawings, Fig. I is an axial, section of a fluid pressure engine conveniently embodying my invention.

Figs. II, III, IV, V and VI arev similar views showing modified forms of my invention.

Fig. VII is a horizontal axial section showing my invention as embodied in a. two cylinder engine. Y

Fig. VIII 1s a cross section of the structure shown in Fig. VII as viewed in the direction of thearrows VIII-VIII thereon.

Fig. IX is a diagram showing the relation of the crank centres of the same.

Figs. X and XI are detail views on an enlarged scale showing the yielding or compensating means by which the valve is a1- lowed a limitedvextent of free motion to permit under regulative control, variation of the cut-off position of the valve, one or the other of the forms of these devices being employed `in several embodiments represented in the drawings; and

Fig. XII is a detail view in section of an auxiliary valve illustrating the same on an enlargedscale.

Fig; XIII is a crank motion,'diagram maticallyshown,'later on more particularly described, j

Referring to I of "the drawings,v l

vmatically in the illustration.

designates the engine cylinder which may be of any approved type or construction, and within which reciprocates a piston 2 attached to ,a piston rod '3. This piston rod 3 passes through a stuffing box 4j at one end of the cylinder 1, and is coupled by a connecting rod 5, with the crank 6 of the engine, the last two elements being shown diagram- Steam is'admitted and exhausted through ports and 8 located, respectively, at opposite ends of the cylinder l, under Vcontrol of apiston valve 9 which comprises heads 10 and 11. The piston valve 9 is guided for'ireciprocationin a chest 12 which is attached in an appropriatemanner to the cylinder 1 at one side.

The central chamber- 13, setiapart -in the chest 12 by the piston heads 10 and 11, communicates with a source of live steam supply through a pipe 14, while the exhaust steam escapes from the spaces beyond the piston heads 10 and 11 through port-s 15 and 16 which communicate with a supplemental valve chamber 17 which, in turn, is exhausted through a pipelS.

Coming back to the valve 9, it will bel seen that its actuating rod 2O extends through a stuihng box 2l atone end of the,

Achest 12 to the exterior, and has there mounted upon it, a shiftable sleeve 22, which, is normally held in a central position be tween two iixed collars 23-23 on said valve l Y stem under the action of compression springs 25-25` which are housed within appro` priate casings or cages 26*26, see Valso Fig. X. At one end, each spring 25 and 25 abuts directly against the cage wall, while at the other, it engages with one of a pair of disks 27 and 27 which normally rest against their corresponding collars 23 and 23.- By this construction, the valve rod 201may (as will be directly explained in detail) be shifted.

independently of the sleeve 22 in either direction within the limits imposed bythe flanges 28-28 of the respective collars 23-23, said flanges being adapted to function as stops in cooperation with the outer ends of the casings 26 and 26.

The sleeve 22 has a pivotal connection at 29 with a rocker arm conventionally represented in Fig. 1, and indicatedfby the numeral 80, and shown"as fulcrumed about' a 'f lixed pivot 31. The lowerend ofthe rocker larm 30 is coupled, through the instrumen#` tality of a'linl; "312,` with a lug 33 of theLeiji-V4v 'gine 'pistonrod'3. Through the connections just described, it will be apparent that the valverod is given delinite normal throw,

which, in practice, is made equal to, 'or

Y slightly moreY than the lap ot lthe valve 9,

depending upon the amount' of lead which isV to be accorded the valve*1 piston headsl() K and 11V.

l Referring once more to the vvalve 9, it will be seento comprise, in addition to the main piston heads 10 and 11, auxiliary pistons 35 exhausted from said spaces, through ports 39 and 40, communicating with the ends oi3 the supplementalV valve chest 17 previously referred to. The ports 39 and 40V are conered pressure may vtrolled by the heads V41 and 42 oi' a supplementall piston valve `43, which 'heads are lixed to the valve rod 45. The'spaces 46 and 47,. at theV ends of Vthegsupplemental valve chest 17 set apartby the piston heads 41 and 42 Communicate with `a source of steam supply througha pipe connection 48 which has interposed in it,"a conventional pressure or Apower reducing valve 49 whereby the delivv be accurately regulated or controlled. `This pressure or power reducing valve 49 is of any standard type adapted. to choke fiow therethrough, but which receives the motive fluid' (steam for example) at a certainpressure and delivers lit to the supplemental valve chest 17 at a predetermined lower potential pressure or power. 0r, an o-rdinar-y hand-operated valve, such as indicated, varying the ,iow by the extent to which it is opened may Ybevemployed; it being obvious .that the particular type of valve adopted is determined by its adaptabilityior the, purpose specified. In

order that the supplemental piston valve 43 may at all times bein perfect steam balance, therod ispassed to the exterior at each Yend throughstuliing lboxes 50-50, and the forward protruding end of said rod has secured to it, a depending bar 51 whichextendsy into the path of iixed colla-rs 52 and 53 attachedto theengine piston rod 3 in spaced relation so as 'to allow a 'certain extent of lost motion overV that required to effect actuation of the piston valve 43.

T he operation of the above described organization is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the engine crank 6' is on dead centre in the position shown in Fig. I, and the' piston 2 at the extreme end Vof its stroketothe left. By reason of its coordination with the piston rod 3, as already understood, the sleeve 22 and hence the valve 9V hasljustf been given its maximum normal throw in the same direction, and form like Y reason, the supplemental valve 43 has been shifted Correspondingly tothe position illustrated. VAt this time, the valve headV 10 is just about to permit admission ofY steam to the port 7 at the lett hand end of the cylinder 1 (or has just craclzed7 open in accordance with the lead allowed as hereinbefore suggested), while the port 3 has been un covered to begin permitting exhaust of the steam from the cylinder at the right of the were it not for the excess movement vimparted to the valve 9 through steam admitted 'iromthe pipe 4S to the space behind the piston 36 ot' the main valve under control of the piston 42 of the supplemental valve43. VThis v causes to a deiinite extentthe overcoming of the resistance ot the spring 25', the amplitude of the over throw oi the valve heads 10 and 11 depending, of course, uponthe vpressure of the steam admitting to the piston 36 of the valve 9, and determining the position or' cut-oli" oi' the steam to the cylinder 1. Obviously, by increasing or ydecreasing the pressure of'. the steam delivered by the valve 49 such increased or decreased pressure will result in overcoming more or less the power of the springs 25 or 25, and will accordingly vary the position of cut-01T, and in this way control the speed and power at 'which the engine will run. From the above,

it will be seen that the speed oit the engine will, within limits, remain constant :tor a definite setting of the valve 49, regardless of changes in the load. rl`his characteristic may be briefly describedr as follows :v

As the load upon-the engine is increased, thus tending to lretard its speed, pressure within the pipe 43 will., as -a consequence, be `f .the left hand movement of the piston 2 is permitted vto escape through the port 8 into the valve chest 12 in the intervalv between the piston heads 11 and 36, and from thence through the .port- 16 into the Asupplemental valve chest- 17, from which the steam finally escapes through the pipe 13. The operation of the engine for the reverse .stroke is eflected in precisely the same manner as just described. y v

aerei-ring now to Fig. Il, the structure therein represented is, in the main, identical with the 'lorin irstdcscribed, and correspendingr parts have been accordingly identi'ied withy similar reference numerals. InsteadV oi mounting the sleeve 22 directly on the valve rod 20, the same is here shown as slidably supported by a stationarylrod 60 projecting from a point of anchorage in the engine casing and Which also supports the springs -25, and the associated elements. In place of the rocker arm of the previous embodiment, I have substituted an arm 61 Which differs from the former in that it accorded the valve 9 by reason of the yield`V ing action of the springs 25-25 in permitting changes in the positions of the sleeve 22, and accordingly the tulcrum 63 of arm 6l', so that the ultimate result obtained'in this embodiment is precisely the same as that obtained in the rst described form.

In the organization represented in Fig. III, the principle of operation of the means whereby the valve 9 is given its independent motion, is the reverse of that of the previous torins described herein. kIn other Words, variation vof the cut-off positions of the valve 9, in this instance, is obtained by robbing the same more or less, of its normal thro-W.V Referring to the illustration, the rock'arin 65 is shown as being ulcruined intermediate itsends about a fixed pivot 66, and actuated, through an interposed link 67,

' directly by a separate crank or eccentric 68 troni the engine shaft 69. This rock arm 65 thus imparts to the valve 9, a normal throw in a manner already Well understood. The steam by whichfthe auxiliary pistons and V36 o'll the valve 9 are actuated is ob-1 tained directly l'roni the cylinder ports 7 and 8 with which communicate respectively, lateral ducts and 71 by which the steam isv delivered to pipe connections 72 and 73 under control of separate pressure reducing valves 74 and 75 ot" like character to the valve 49 hereinbetore described in connection with Fig. I. It is to be particularly noted, however, that the steam admitted behind the .auxiliary piston 36 o't' the valve 9 opposes the movement of the latter derived troni the rock arm 65, under yielding periuitted by the spi-infIV 254 at the right of the sleeve 22 at a time when the parts oit the engine occupy the illustrated positions.

VlVhile the operation of this form ot' my invention is, in all other respects, similar to thatot the previous en'ibodiinents,it diliers slightly in details ot construction inthe iollowing..particulars:V f'

The steam whichepropelsithe` enginenisv supplied"s-directly. ,tov the valve .chest .12 through .iai pipe. 76`,`and vafter being. spent',is.. exh'ai-isted; Vtrom the saine .thiough :portsA 'T7-377', ivhich are extended at their ends 78 and 79l so-'as toV permit the escape of the steam from the valve chest ends 37 and 38, should the pressure againstLthe pistons-35 and 36 become so great as to tendto pref inaturely exhaust thesteain: from cylinder. 1.

In the showing of Fig. IV, the operation of tlie'fengine there represented is precisely-- the saine as that of the embodiment: of Fig. III, except that in this case, actuation of the auxiliary heads 35-36 ofthe'niain valve valve 43 as in the very first 'orm With-certain modifications which may `be Vbriefly `described as follows.: f Y Y 4 The pipe connections 80 and 81through which steam is admitted to actuate the' aux-k iliary pistons 35 and 36 ot the :valve: 9, are,

,75 9 isv subject to the control of the auxiliary r separately controllable throughpressure reducing or controlling valves82 and 83 re.- spectively ot' like character to the valve'49 hereinbetore explained. Whole organization is supplied througha single pipe 84 entering the supplemental valve chest 17, and in turnconducted. from thence through a by-pass 85 to the Subcli-r visioii 13 of the main valve chest 12 intermediate the piston heads l0 and 11. Ex#

85:;4 Steam fory rthe haust from the ends of the supplemental valve chest 17 escapes by Way of pipes v86l and 87, VWhile that from the cylinder l and the ends of the main valve chest 12 discharges through ports 88 and 89 which are f extended lor a reason already given in connection lwith the description ot Fig. III. The supplemental valve 43 may be shifted by means such as shown in Fig. I. Y

In Fig.' V, the piston valve 9 is actuated by a rocker arm 90 ifulcrumed atl 91 to the cnd ot a rod 92 which protrudes through a stuiling box 93, and has attached to its inner end a piston 94 which is slidable in a chest 95. Steam is admitted to, and exhausted from the Achest V95, through ports 96 and 97 under control of a supplemental.slide valve 98.

The heads 99 and 10-0 of the valve 98 are joined by a tubular rod 101 Fig. XII WhichV affords a through passage 101* by Way olf y which steam may be either admitted or exliausted, depending upon the position of a reversing slide valve 101 (for reversing direction of rotation of the engine), Which controls ports 102 and 103 .leading to the supplemental Valve chest 104. The .supplemental slide valve 98 is actuated by a crank or eccentric 105 on the engine shaftV 106 through the medium ot a pitinan 54 and valve rod' 55 (Fig. XIII), While thereversing valve 101 is controllable manually by'ineans of'a hand lever .conventionally represented 107 inthe illustration." .v -Steam 'isY supplied ftof. nathe chestnf108 of .thereversing vsl'ide-rvalve 10.1 fthrough a'pipell09lwhicli .has interposed? r l`in rit, -a` pressure reducing?.v or"L.controlling'.Lz V` valve ,110Llile the. valve -14'9 .herein'bet'oreiex.--

plaiiied. Exhaust from the reversing slide Vends of said piston.

valve chest 18jiscarried ott 'through a pipe .I Y, 111. VIn this form of my invention, inde pendent movement of fthe mainslide valve v9 is obtained throughthe motion of the piston 94 induced bysteam alternately effective upronopposite ends of said piston in opposition to compensa-ting springs 11,2-112.

'These springs 112-112 bear at one end,l

' against disks 113-113ivhich normally engage shoulders 114 in maintaining the piston 94 in'its central position, and disks 113-113 are; perforated `with small holes 56-56, as shown, lto. permitaccess of the steam to the v 16. The operation of the organization just described .is Vthought to be obvious without Ynecessitating :special description. n. i

vIn Fig. VI, I have shown the supplementalV valve .120 which controls admission and exhaust of steam in the course of the actuation of the auxiliary pistons and 36 of the main' slide valve 9, as being reciprocated ,A electrically.v To this Lend, IV have mounted 25 Lto the` ends of the supplemental valve rod electro` magnets 121-121 which serve as arma-turesV in` cooperation with similar,

` aligned stationary magnets 122-122v appro priately supported bythe engine frame. These'severa magnets 121-121 and 122- r122ware energized under control of a ro-k tary or commutator switch '123 mounted upon-theV engine shaft 124. This .switch 123 Y asV lcomprises two segments 115-116 Vwhich are `vrelatively 'insulated and adapted :tor coroperation with suitable brushes V117 at the terminals of the conductors comprised in the about the proper shifting of the `main slide Y valve 9 in admitting and exhausting steam -2 receives its energy from a vbattery 126, and

from the cylinder 1. The wiring system. 125

g a double throw switch 127 interposedin said 'systemaffords a means for reversing the vdirection of rotation of the engine through aeversal of ,the polarity of the magnets 122-122. Steam vis admitted to the chest of the supplemental valve 120 through `a valve controlled supply pipe 128, and eX- hausted through a pipe connection 129.

:Referring now to the embodiment of n1 invention of Figs. VII, VIII and IX, the

j organization there represented is in the form of a two cylinder engine having its cranks-'G-G ninety degrees apart. The main slide Vvalves 9-9 for the cylinders 1-1 1re ceivetheir normal vthrow from rocker arms i, 130-130c0ordinated with integral oppos` edly 4curved exten-sions 131-131 oit the sleeves 22-22 through connectors 182 132". lThese-rocker arms 13D-130 are fulcrumed Steam is admitted .at -14Y and exhaust takes place through 15 and invasie to .a common, iiXed'pivot 183 andcoupled with the engine I iston rods 3-3 b linksV 134-134. The supplemental valves 135- 135', controlling admission and exhaust ot' steam to and from `the lpistons 35 and 36 and B5 and 36 Vof the main valvesV 9-9,

are actuated by virtu-e ot a directconnection of their rods `136--136 with the extensions 131-131 respectively of the sleeves 22-22 as Iinthe engine shown inlig.v IV.H The supplemental valves 135-135 are constructed hollow .after a Amanner Aalready explained similarly provided with a control valve 143.V

Lastly, referring to the detailed Inodiiication of the compensating devices in Fig. XI, the casings vor cagesV 26S-26 are held immovable under compression of the springs p25-25 against fixed stops 15G-150 onthe valve rod 20. The sleeve 22, `vin this instance, has a head151 by which its Vindependent shifting with-respect to the rod 120 is lime ited, said `head encountering alternately the ends ot the casings 2G- -2G, and the reduced extremities 152-152 of said sleeve vmove through openings4 153-153 in the Vcasing ends to engage with the abutment ldiscs 27--27- The modifiedr orm of compen-y sating vdevice just described may obviously rbe employed in connection with anyv ot the previouslyV described embodiments of my invention with the exception ot the 'form -represented in Fig. V.

-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim: Y i

V1. In a reciprocating engine, the combination ont `a cylinder, a piston valve for controlling admissicn of motive Huid to the cylinder, said valveliaving a definite normal throat insufficient to provide a full intake aperture to the cylinder, means permitting.

motion independent orf said normal throw, and means tork automatically regulating the extent of such independent motion to cor-v respondingly vary .the normal cut-off position of said valve within :the limits .ot thel intake :aperture which kit controls.

2. In a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston valve for controlling admission of motive fluid to the cylinder, .means whereby said valve is given a deiinite normal throw insuicient to provide a full intake aperture to the cylinder, means permitting motion of the valve independent ot' said lnormal throw, and means tor automatically regulating the extent of such Aindependent motion tov correspondingly vary Steam is .supplied the normal cut-ofi' position of said valve within the limits of the intake aperture which it controls.

3, ln a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston valve for controlling admission of motive fluid to.the cylinder, said valve having a definite normal throw insufficient to provide a full intake aperture to the cylinder, means permitting independent motion of the valve over and ahove said norii'ial throw, and means for regulating the extent of suoli independent motion to correspondingly vary the normal cutoll' position of said valve within the limits of the intake aperture which it coiitiols or in proportion to the engine speed.

el. ln a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder. a sliding piston valve having piston heads for controlling the inlet and exhaust of motive fluid through ports at opposite ends of the cylinder., means for imparting to the valve a definite normal throw insufficient to provide a full intake aperture to the cylinder, attached supplemental fluid actuated pistons whereby the valve is shifted to a limited extent independent of its normal throw in either direction, and means for controlling the actuating fluid to vary the extent of such independent motion to correspondingly vary the normal cut-off positions of the piston valve within the liniitsrof the intake aperture which it controls or in proportion to the engine speed.

5. A reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder, a sliding piston valve for controlling admission and exhaust of motive fluid at opposite ends of the cylinder, means for imparting to the valve a definite normal throw insufficient to provide-a full intake aperture to the cylinder, said means including a shiftable sleeve and collars mounted on the stem of the valve, springs intermediate said sleeve and collars acting in opposition to centralize the sleeve, means for reciprocating said sleeve, in combination with separate means for imparting tothe vvalve motion independent of its normal throw in opposition tothe aforesaid springs, and regulating means for controlling the extent of such independent motion to vary the cut-off i position of the aforesaid valve.

6. A reciprocating engine including a cylinder, a sliding piston valve having piston heads for controlling admission and exhaust of motive Huid at opposite ends of the cylinder, means for impartingto the valve a definite normal throw insufhcient to provide a full intake aperture to the cylinder, said means including a shiftable sleeve and fixed collars mounted on the stem of the valve, springs intermediate said sleeve and collars acting in opposition to centralize the sleeve, device-s for reciprocating said sleeve, auxiliary fluid actuated pistonheads attached to the valve for imparting to the saine motion independent of its normal throw in either direction in opposition to the aforesaid springs, in combination with regulating means for controlling the supply of the niotive fluid to varyV the extent of `independent motion and correspondingly vary the cut-off position of the aforesaid valve.

7. A reciprocating engine including acylinder, a main sliding piston valve having piston headsfor controlling admission and exhaust of motive fiuid at opposite ends of the cylinder, means for imparting .to the valve-a definite normal throw insufficient to effect a full intake aperture to the cylinder, said means including a sliiftable sleeve vand fixed collars mounted on the .stein vofthe valve, springs intermediate said sleeve and collars acting in opposition to centralize the sleeve, link motion'for reciprocating said" sleeve, auxiliary fiuid actuated piston heads attached to the valve for imparting to the same motion in excess of its normal throw in either direction in opposition to the aforesaid springs, in combination with a supplemental piston valve for controlling access of the motive fluid to the auxiliary piston heads of the main valve, and a valve for governing the supply of the actuating fiuid to varyk the extent of excess motion by regulating the cut-off position of said main piston valve. 8. A reciprocating engine including a cylinder, a main sliding piston valve for con- Y trolling the admission and exhaust of motive fluid at opposite ends of the cylinder,.means for imparting to the valve a definite normal throw insufficient to effect a full intake aperture tol the cylinder, said means including a shiftable sleeve and fixed collars mounted on the stem of the valve, a spring intermediate each end of the sleeve and its juxtaposed collar acting in opposition to centralize said sleeve, a rocker arm for reciprocating the aforesaid sleeve, said rocker arm receiving its motion through coordination with the movements of the enginecrank, in combination with means for imparting motion to the valve independent from that derived from the rocker arm, and a regulating valve vfor controlling the extent of such independent motion to vary the cut-off position of the valve within the limits of the intake aperture which itcontrols.

9. In a reciprocating engine, the combination of a piston valve functional to control admission of motive fluid to the engine cylinder; mechanical means coordinated with the valve piston rod fornormally `shifting VJthe valve; means for actuating the piston valve by motive fiuid pressure; and means regulating the actuation of the piston valve to automatically vary its point of cut-off.I within the limitsV of the intake aperture which it controls.

10. A `reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder haring ports used alternately 'fer llO intake and exhaust; a piston Valvecontroh Vling said ports; means to normally operate thefvalife So that the ports are fully lapped in one-position and'unlappe'd in the other jpositionto a limited extent to provide a v minimum intakeaperture; `nieans to effect movementfof the valve independent of the normal actuating` means; and spring-balanced mechanism permitting automatic auxiliai'y movement of the rvalve to provide an 10 i signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 15V Vania, this 26th day of March, 1921.'

HENRY S.V FARQUHAR. 

